Synthetic resin and method of making same



Patented July 31, 1928.

Jmrs mm'rosn, or nonms'rowm'rnnus'uvama, ASSIGNOB 'ro nmiaoun smart:

FIBRE COMPANY, OF ELSMEBE, DELAWARE, 1 CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SYNTHETIC ansm AND METHOD or name same.

- Ho Drawing.

My invention relates to that class of condensation products utilizing-phenol or one of its homologues as one of its in redients in the preparation of resinous products and 5 one object of said invention is to provide a new'condensation product to be used as a synthetic resin which in its production shall em loy oils having aldehyde bases.

t isdesired to provide a synthetic resin 1 which shall be inexpensive and easy to make,

whose'nature shallbe such as to fit it for use as a shellac substitute, as a molding compound, as a waterproofing agent for impregnating sheet, tube and ;rod material made of paper, woven or felted fabric, or, parchmentized fibre and for any other uses requiring' a hard, relatively infu'sible, insoluble and structurally strong substance which is light and tough. v Another object of the invention is to provide a synthetic resin of the above class which shall be available for use as a nonconductor of high dielectric value, which shall be waterand oil proof, and which may be prepared in soluble or in insoluble'form at will, being when in soluble form,'capable of further treatment whereby 1t may be changed into its insoluble and lnfusible form. v I also desire to provide a condensation product which in its initial stage may! be utilized in connection with suitable ow-' dered or fibrous material as a substance rom which articles ma .be molded and subsquent- 1y subjected to eat and pressure in order to transform said product therein into its final solid, infusible', insoluble form. It is further desired to provide a relatively simple, inexpensive and conveniently oper- 4c ative process utilizing such oils as cinnamon oil, oil of cassia, vanillin, etc. for making products of the above class.

In carrying out my invention, in atypical case I mix one hundred grams of oilof I cassia with two hundred grams of phenol or one of its homologues, adding if desired, though not necessarily, two to five grams of sulphuric or hydrochloric acid as a catalyzer. This mixture is then digested in a reflux condenser for about two hours and distilled 'un-' der vacuum for one hour to remove uncom bined phenol. The resulting, product is a shiny, hard, black, sweet-smelling, resinous material adapted for use as a varnish or shellac substitute, which will soften at212 Application fi1ed1pri1 4,1952. Serial No. 549,522."

F. and flow at about 260 F., being. solublein alcohol, acetone, benzol, etc. If 5% to 10% of a hardening agent such as hexamethylenetetramine, or. an ammomum salt of furfurol be added to the above condensatipn product, which is then in its mterm'wdiate state, and the whole be heated to a temperature of about 200 F. for example, for from one to two hours, the initial product Wlll change to its insoluble, in'fusible' form. In either itsinitial or in its final fo1'ms', the above condensation product of a phenolic body and an essential oil maybe employed for any ofi the purposes for which other similar phenolic condehsation products are now utilized. When in its initial stage, it may be employed as a basein the manufacture of varnish, it ma beused for the impregnation of-vulcanize fibre, paper or fabrics in sheet, tube, block or rod form, after whlch upon the application of suitable heat for example 325 F. and a pressureioi about one thousand pounds to the square lnch, for from one to five hours or more,

depending upon the dimensions and form of the structure, it may be caused to change to its final or solid infusible form.

In making a laminated structure such as a block, sheet, tube or rod, the above condensation product in its liquid or semi-solid, initial stage, is dissolved in from fifty to sixty parts oi an organic solvent such as alcohol or acetone and is caused .to uniformlypermeate the sheet or other fibrous or porous body, either bydirectly soaking the '7 latter in the liquid or by any otherzavailable method. After the solvent has been removed as by heating in an oven or dry house, the impregnated sheets or other structures may be subjected to relatively hi h pressure such as one thousand pounds to t e square inch and heated to a temperature of about 325 F. for a period depending upon the .thicknw and dimensions of said material, with the. result that the condensation product therein is changed to its final, insoluble, infusible form. Tubes or rods may be made from the above described impregnated sheet material by winding it on a mandrel and thereafter subjecting it to heat and pressure such as above indicated.

In any case the resulting product is unafiected by moisture and, by the ordinary organic solvents, it has a high mechanical chanical and electric'purposes, being partic I ularly useful for the manufacture of gears, electrical insulators, phonograph records, etc. Without departing from my invention I may vary the proportions of the oil and of the phenolic body employed therewith. I may also vary the temperatures, pressures, and time of treatment,-the essential feature ofthe invention residing in the production of a condensation product constituting a synthetic resin or resin by utilizing a phenolic bod and an oil having an aldehyde base as escribed above. In place of phenol I may em loy any of its homologues.

While the condensation product in its initial form may be liquid, semi-solid, or solid and soluble in acetone, alcohol, benzol, etc., in its final form it is influsible and insoluble in the ordinary organic solvents, being a hard, tough resinous substance of dark color, breaking with a, lustrous fracture and having a dense, homogeneous structure.

If desired, the catalytic agent employed may be removed by washing it out by water or other suitable solvent, in which the condensation product is insoluble. This removal by a purely physical method is'best performed while said product is in its initial stage. If the use of water or other solvent is not desirable, the catalytic agent may be removed by chemical means, i. e., by introdueing some substance such as barium oxide, which will react exclusively with the catalyst to form an inert or unobjectionable substance not affecting the desired properties of the condensation product.

When in its initial stage the above described condens'ation product may be dissolved in alcohol, acetone, benzine, etc. and thereafter mixed with wood flour, asbestos or other organic or inorganic material, the solvent being then removed by heat. The resulting mass may be ground or otherwise reduced to a powder capable of being readily given any desired form by subjecting it in a suitable mold to proper temperature and pressure for a period of time necessary to cause the condensation product to assume its final infusible, insoluble form.

I claim:

1. The process of forming a potentially reactive resin which comprises causing a phenolic body and an essential oil having an aldehyde base to react to form a fusible, soluble non-crystalline condensation product capable of transformation into a hard, infusible product upon further heating.

2. The process which comprises causing a phenolic body and an essential oilhaving an aldehyde base to react to form an initial condensation product, and thereafter heating the same to form a hard, infusible, insoluble synthetic resin.

3. The process of forming a potentially reactive resin which comprises heating together a phenolic body, an essential oil hav- 1ng an aldehyde base and a condensation reaction catalyst until there is formed a fusible, soluble non-crystalline condensation product capable of transformation into a hard, infusible product upon further heating. 1

4. The process which comprises heatin togethera phenolic body, an essential oi having an aldehyde base and a condensation reaction catalyst until there is formed a fusible, soluble condensation product, and further heating the same to form a hard, infusible, insoluble synthetic resin.

5. A hard, infusible nthetic resin resulting from the further eating of the initial condensation product obtained by reacting a phenolic body and an essential oil having an aldehyde base.

"6. An initial non-crystalline condensation product resulting from the reaction of a phenolic body and an essential oil having an aldehyde base consisting of a compound soluble in alcohol, acetone and benzol and capable of being rendered infusible and insoluble by heating.

7. The process of forming a potentially reactive resin which comprises causing a phenolic body and an essential oil having an aldehyde base to react to form a fusible, soluble non-crystalline condensation product, and adding thereto a hardening agent. ca able of trans ormation into a hard, infusibiia product upon further heating.

8. The process which comprises causing a phenolic body and an essential oil having an aldehyde base to react to form an initial condensation product, adding thereto a hardening agent, and then further heating the same to obtain a hard, infusible, insoluble resin.

9. The process which comprises heating together a phenolic body, an essential oil having an aldehyde base and a. condensation reaction catalyst until there is formed a fusible, soluble condensation product, adding a hardening agent thereto, and further heating the same to form a hard, infusible, insoluble resin.

10. The process which comprises causing a phenolic body and an essential oil having an aldehyde base to react to form an initial condensation product, adding thereto hexamethylenetetramine, and then further heating the same to obtain a hard, infusible, insoluble resin.

11. The process which comprises heating together a phenolic body, an essential oil having an aldehyde base and a condensation reaction catalyst until there is formed a fusible, soluble condensation "product, adding hexamethylenetetramine thereto, and further heating the same to form a hard, infusible, insoluble resin.

12. A potentially reactive resinous body capable of transformation into a hard, in-

fusible, insoluble body upon further heating havingan aldehyde base, with a hardening resulting from the admixture of a hardening agent.

agent and the initial non-crystalline conden- 14. A hard, infusible, insoluble synthetic sation product obtained by reacting a pheresin resulting from the further heating of a 5 nolic body with an essential oil having an the initial condensation product obtained by 16 aldehyde base. reacting a phenolic body and an essential oil 13. A hard, infusible, insoluble synthetic having an aldehyde base, with hexamethylresin resulting from the further heating of enetetramine. the initial condensation product obtained by 10 "reacting a phenolic bodyand an essential oil JAMES MoINTOSI-I. 

